Nakashima Japanese Restaurant

WARNING: Terrible Service!
This was our first evening in Sydney and the only thing we were tasting was fresh sushi. Our hotel recommended this spot and since it was around the corner we decided to give it a try.
We walked up to the Nakashima and the place was full all but a 4 person table outside. Thinking this was a good sign, my wife sat down at the empty table and I walked in to notify the wait staff that we were sitting outside (this is when I heard something I have never heard from a restaurant employee).
The waitress working (19-​1-​2016) said we couldn’t have that table since there were only two in our party and we would either have to leave or wait for a two person table to open up. There was another party of 2 that just sat down inside and told me they had the same argument with her regarding the outside table. Now I’m not the kind of person that demands the customer is always right but as I and in the customer service industry, I expect a certain level of respect then we were given. I asked to speak to the Manager on duty and she just laughed and said there was no manager for me to talk to. I then tried to use logic with her stating there were other occupied 4 person tables outside with only 2 people at each table. She didn’t seem to care and said we would have to wait or leave. I specifically said we would be reviewing the lack of service and would not return.
On a more pleasant note… My wife and I walked around the corner to Sake The Rocks and even though we didn’t have a reservation, we were immediately seated and had the BEST tasting sushi dinner we have had in a very long time.
Thanks you for reading this novel. Moral of the story is treat people how you want to be treated and DO NOT go to Nakashima.
Have a nice day.

Great food, great service in a casual setting. Prices are very reasonable. Definitely Recommended.

Lovely pork maki and sashimi. Great food, ambience outdoors and service. Would come back anytime!

Looking to switch things up on a Friday lunch, I wanted something not burger or sandwich, but still wanted a beer. Nakashima offered both of those things. Plus, Barry 5 starred it, and I trust him. He’s been reviewing places on Unilocal since before he could talk.
I haven’t been to Japan yet (6 days!) so I can’t tell you if what I ate was authentic, but I can tell you it was darn delicious. The staff were Japanese and a they very politely humoured me as I mispronounced various Japanese phrases.
I wound up with the teriyaki chicken bento box which was fabulous. I normally avoid teriyaki sauce, but this was beautiful. Likely because it was a proper teriyaki sauce and not one of the cheap bottled versions I was force fed growing up. The salad was perfect, the sushi fresh, the miso delicious, the spring roll (vego) crisp, and the tempura tasty. With my beer, lunch was a reasonable $ 25.
I think I found my new not burger not sandwich place.

The food is always fresh and is reasonably priced for the area! I’ve never had a bad experience here! The gyoza hot pot and the pork maki are my favourite dishes here and well worth a try!
Book ahead for a Friday and Saturday night because it gets busy and there are only about 15 tables in the little courtyard.

As a regular business traveller staying in the Rocks, I am at this restaurant once a week. By far best Japanese in the area at the most reasonable prices. Get away from the hype of the big time eateries, enjoy modest but delicious food. I have eaten just about the entire menu and have not had a bad meal yet! Do yourself a favour…

One of the best kept secret of the rocks area. The food is yummy and great value. Come between 5−7pm and you’ll get a free sake with your meal too!
I love the hot pots here. Great for a winter night. The sashimi is always fresh and in generous slices. One of my favourite Japanese restaurants in Sydney!
P/​s: the address is incorrect. How can we fix this? It’s not in paddington…

Not much in the way of décor, but the food was top notch.
We especially enjoyed the pork maki, sukiyaki, soft shell crab salad, and vinegar fried chicken.
They were pretty busy on a weekday evening, and servers seemed a bit overwhelmed but trying hard to keep up.
Tab was under $ 100 including sake and beers.

A great little place in the rocks for lunch or dinner. Meals are excellent value for money and I’ve never had a problem with the food here. Can be very busy at lunch on Fridays so it is best to make a booking

Quite easily the best Japanese restaurant in the rocks area.
Japanese speaking staff — check. Japanese clientele — check.
Good food — check.
Decent service — check.
Alcohol — check.
Well priced (for the area) — check.
Accepts credit cards — check.
Worth checking out if you live/​work (yes they open at lunch) or play in the rocks.

Reasonably priced, simple food with friendly service. A good cheap eats option in this town of very expensive food, conveniently located on The Rocks, walking distance from most major hotels near the harbor.

There are three Japanese places in the Argyle-​TheRocks precinct and four if you count Sake. But this place is charming in its modesty and located in equally humble Cambridge St. I discovered this place many years ago when I first started working in the Rocks. Every day and every morning since I found it, I have seen outside its pre-​opening doors a mature Japanese lady sitting patiently for her work colleagues. That older woman, I soon discovered helped other younger female waiters. The dedication, loyalty and joy with which they serve their patrons is the charming quality of this place. A place where between European «Argyle Cut» engineering and the remnants of the architecturally intoxicated decade of the 80s are reconciled with Japanese like harmony.
With Japanese male efficiency food is cooked. At lunch, bento boxes are a plenty and at dinner be sure to arrive at 6 for a «happy hour» bonus of a free drink with dinner. You will have to come here often to try each dish. Food is reasonably priced. But above all you have to try the «vinegred» chicken, where the only error is the spelling.
In short this place, is charming, reasonably priced, modest and the food tasty. Modest and taste is hard to find in the tourist Rocks precinct. But if you find it then go for it.
Finally, if you’re in search of a cheap and fast place to eat good food before seeing a show at the Opera House, Sydney Theatre or just a place to eat when working late, then this is the first place to try.

Low key Japanese restaurant. nice sushi and yummy takoyaki But don’t go for the udon… it’s a let down.
If you get there for dinner before 7pm you get a free drink (wine or soft drink)… the fact that it’s from a box maybe dubious if you decided to pay for wine… but for the freebies, whatever!
It’s a nice place to come to escape the hustle of the Rocks, as it’s quite hidden. Check it out if you are in the area, or if you want to eat at the Rocks for less than $ 50!

I always like going to places that are a little out of the way, either down an alleyway or hidden behind another building… they may turn out to be quite mainstream, but there is something about the thrill of discovery when finding something in an unexpected place. Such is it with this place — it’s really not that hard to find, or even that far away from everything, but the approach is just obscure enough (for me) to be ever so slightly exciting.
Anyway — yep, its a Japanese restaurant, bento boxes, sushi, sashimi, all the usual suspects. Food was good, I ordered the 15 piece Sashimi, thoroughly enjoyed. Many people seemed to be taking advantage of the bento boxes, so I would assume they are good. Service was friendly and fast.
Not much else to say really. 4 stars :)